Tiller pilot fix and a quick run to Marker...

So..  following on from the last post... 

New battery arrived the day after I ordered it (excellent service from a company called ABS [clicky]) - I'm limited to physical size by the current battery storage box, so although a bigger (Ah) battery would be good, to all intents and purposes the new one is a direct like for like replacement in terms of both physical size, and power..

Reading up on average life spans for batteries, they seem to think 5 years is about average, so the old one lasted about as long as it should have, and at only £50 owed me nothing..  for the records the new one was £55 (delivered)..

Specification 

• Weight 12 kg 
• Dimensions 212 × 175 × 175 mm 
• Warranty (Years) 1 
• Ampere Hours 50 
• Voltage 12
•  Deep Cyclic Yes 
• Engine Starter Battery No 
• Battery Lifespan (cycles) 300 
• Length 212mm Width 175mm Height 175mm 
• Technology Sealed Wet Flooded 

Product description: ABS 12 Volt Low Profile 50 Amp Leisure Battery * Totally maintenance free * Completely sealed Silver Calcium Lead Acid Technology for Enhanced Safety * Heavy Duty * Comfortable and robust carrying handle * VRLA style casing * Deep Cycle (can take deeper discharges during cycles) * Cyclic (can be used many times over) * Semi-Traction capable

An unexpected day off on Thursday^ with a serendipitous HT at 09:28 was the ideal opportunity to swap the batteries and test my theory - it's been 6 years since I last fitted the battery so it was a bit of a voyage of discovery, but as ever the decision to use stainless steel for the battery box fittings paid dividends... undid both bolts, which allowed me to slide the entire box out through the opening, swap over of batteries, and then slide the battery box back in and re-attach the bolts..  quick release terminals on the new battery and it was time to test the auto pilot..

Battery box is fixed in pace with the two bolts you can just see the heads of going through the lip of the opening

Which worked...  🙌🙌

As it was sunny, reasonably arm, and I still had a couple of hours of tide, I squared away, warmed up the donk, took the sail covers off, and went for a glorious run down the trench to the end of the Emsworth channel, where a bear up on to the wind, which was just the right direction, allowed me to aim for and reach Marker for the first time this summer...    with the water disappearing it was time to then head home, where yet again my approach to the mooring was way too fast and I sailed over it..  practice makes perfect.....  

^We're due to go on the Jolly Boys Cruise this weekend but due to storm damage Ocean Waves our usual ride is not available and we have swapped over to Rod the Mod's boat, but he was busy today so we delayed the start, probably not a bad thing, 5 blokes only just fit sleeping-wise on a 30 footer, and I got an additional day for repairs.. 

Log:

Distance: 5.51 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F2; W
Sail Plan: Full main and genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 3.8 / 3